Then you will prosper if you are careful to keep and fulfill the statutes and ordinances with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage. Dread not and fear not; be not dismayed.- 1 Chronicles 22:13

Recently a group of pastors asked me a question: Besides God Himself, what one thing had helped me get from where I started in ministry to the level of success I currently enjoy? I immediately said, “I refused to give up!” There were thousands of times when I felt like giving up, thought about giving up, and was tempted to give up, but I always pressed on.

Don’t let life defeat you. Face it with boldness and courage, and declare that you will enjoy every aspect of it. You can do that because you have the awesome power of God dwelling in you. God is never frustrated and unhappy. He always has peace and joy, and since He lives in us and we live in Him, surely we can attain the same thing.

When you are in pain, you don’t have to dwell on the pain and let it ruin your day. You can still accomplish what you need to do by God’s grace, and you don’t have to fear and dread that you may feel that same way tomorrow. I have ministered to others many times while I was in pain myself. Whatever we go through, God will always be with us. Choose to believe that Jesus is your Healer and that His healing power is working in your body right now!

When tempted to worry, Dave always says, “I am not impressed.” He believes we should be more impressed by God’s Word than our problems. He says if we don’t get impressed, we won’t get depressed, then oppressed, and ultimately perhaps even possessed by our difficulties.

No matter what you are facing right now, God has a great life planned for you. It includes prosperity and progress in every area of life. It includes great peace, unspeakable joy, and every good thing you can imagine. Refuse to settle for anything less than God’s best for you!

Trust in Him: Trusting God means believing He lives in you, and all that is His is yours. Be strong and courageous and never give up, and you will have everything He wants you to have in life.

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer

http://www.joycemeyer.org

But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to any object that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue [railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber. [No] you must not so much as eat with such a person.- 1 Corinthians 5:11

The apostle Paul told the Corinthians not to associate with a believer who had a foul tongue, which included gossiping and criticizing. In order to be a good example to people who are sinning, you must be careful not to do the negative things they do or to say the hurtful things they say. You don’t want to give the impression that you think you are better than they are, but you must lovingly, humbly, and gently decline to be involved in conversation and in other behaviors you know are displeasing to God.

Don’t be passive and let other people infect you with their bad attitudes and evil conversation, but instead make a decision to be a good influence on them.

Power Thought: I will not gossip, criticize, or spread rumors about others.

From the book the book Power Thoughts Devotional by Joyce Meyer

http://www.joycemeyer.org

For my sighing comes before my food, and my groanings are poured out like water. For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me. I was not or am not at ease, nor had I or have I rest, nor was I or am I quiet, yet trouble came and still comes [upon me]. – Job 3:24-26

People dread many things, and most don’t even realize what dread does to them. It sucks the joy right out of the present moment. The life God has provided for us through Jesus Christ is a precious gift, and we should enjoy every moment of it.

Dread is insidious and can insert itself into even the most innocuous of circumstances. For example, once I was getting a facial and enjoying it extremely. I glanced at the door and saw my clothes hanging on the hook and thought, Oh, I dread getting up and putting on my clothes and driving all the way home. Then I realized I was letting dread do its dirty work again. It was stealing the joy of the present moment.

Pray and ask God to show you every time you begin to dread any task or something lurking in your future that you’re not quite sure of. Merely eliminating dread from your life will release more of your God-given confidence and help you experience more joy.

Lord, make me aware of what I dread. It’s such a part of my life that it’s easy to not even notice. Help me to retain my joy and walk in all the confidence You’ve given me. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

We know that we have passed over out of death into Life by the fact that we love the brethren (our fellow Christians). He who does not love abides (remains, is held and kept continually) in [spiritual death]… – 1 John 3:14

Life in this verse is the life of God, or “life as God has it.” I don’t want to be one of what I call “the walking dead”—someone who lives and breathes, but never truly lives as God desires. Loving others is the only way to keep the God kind of life flowing through you. It has been given to us as a gift; it’s in us, but we need to release it to others through words and actions. Left dormant, it will stagnate like a pool of water with no outlet.

Are you a part of God’s construction crew, or part of Satan’s destruc¬tion crew? Do you build people up with your words and action, or tear them down? Do you strengthen or weaken them? If you ask these ques¬tions and get the wrong answers, it is easy to fix. Just simply begin today by making a plan to be a blessing to others. Use your words, facial expressions, and voice tones to lift up others. Smile at people; it will be a sign of approval to them. Live to put smiles on others’ faces, and you will always have a smile on yours.

Love Others Today: Look for the needs around you and let God use you to meet those needs. Make sure you’re part of God’s construction crew!

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

If you will turn (repent) and give heed to my reproof, behold, I [Wisdom] will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make my words known to you. – Proverbs 1:23

We need to pray and obey God’s leading when He speaks to us. Obedience is not to be an occasional event for us; it is to be our way of life. There’s a big difference between people who are willing to obey God daily and those who are only willing to obey to get out of trouble. God certainly shows people how to get out of trouble, but He bestows abundant blessings on those who decide to live wholeheartedly for Him and who make obedience to Him their lifestyle. The only pathway to true peace is obedience to God.

Many people obey God in the big issues, but they aren’t aware that obedience in the little things makes a difference in His plan for their lives. The Bible says plainly that if we are not faithful in the little things, we will never be made rulers over much (see Luke 16:10). There is no reason for God to trust us with a major responsibility if we are not going to be faithful to do the little things He has asked us to do. I strongly urge you to be obedient to God even in the smallest of things. A sixteenth-century monk called Brother Lawrence was well known for walking continually in the presence of God. He said that He was pleased to pick up a piece of trash from the ground in obedience to God and because He loved Him.

In the verse for today, God says He will make known His words to us if we listen to Him when He corrects us. If we follow His guidance and are pleased to do each little thing He asks of us then He will open His wisdom to us, and we will have more revelation than we could ever imagine.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

So that they [even] kept carrying out the sick into the streets and placing them on couches and sleeping pads, [in the hope] that as Peter passed by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. And the people gathered also from the towns and hamlets around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those troubled with foul spirits, and they were all cured. – Acts 5:15–16

Peter was a man with a past. He was bold and not afraid of change, but he also had many faults. In Matthew 16:22–23, we see Peter trying to correct Jesus. In Matthew 26:31–35, we see that Peter thought more highly of himself than he should have. In Matthew 26:69–75, it is recorded that Peter denied even knowing Jesus.

Once Peter realized the depth of his sin, he wept bitterly, which showed that he had a repentant heart (v. 75). God is merciful and understands our weaknesses. In John 21, we see Jesus lovingly restore Peter. Peter had been included in God’s plans for the future even though he had a past record of foolishness and failure. Peter had denied Christ, and yet he became one of the best-known apostles. Peter could have spent his entire life feeling bad about his denial of Jesus, but he pressed past that failure and became valuable to God’s kingdom.

Lord, You are a God of transformation. Help me to press past my failures and become a valuable servant of Yours today. Thank You for including me in Your plans for the future. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

[After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. —Romans 14:17

God’s kingdom is made up of things far greater and more beneficial than worldly possessions. God does bless us with material possessions, but the kingdom is much more than that: It is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Righteousness is not the result of what we do, but rather what Jesus has done for us (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). He takes our sin and gives us His righteousness (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). When we accept this truth by faith and receive it personally, we are free to live and enjoy the life Jesus died to give us.

Peace is so wonderful—it is definitely kingdom living. This is why we pursue peace, crave it, and go after it (see Psalm 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11). The closer we get to God, the more we understand that Jesus is our peace (see Ephesians 2:14). God’s will for you and me is to enjoy His peace that goes beyond understanding (see Philippians 4:7).

Joy can be anything from calm delight to extreme hilarity. Joy improves our countenance, our health, and the quality of our lives. It strengthens our witness to others and gives us a godly perspective on life (see Nehemiah 8:10).

It is clear in the Word of God: Seek God and His kingdom, and He will take care of everything else (see Matthew 6:33).

There is no better life than life in the kingdom of God.

From the book Closer to God Each Day by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.—2 Chronicles 7:14

When I am headed in the wrong direction, I thank God for the ability to turn around and go in the right direction. That is actually what true repentance is. It is not just a feeling of being sorry, but also a decision to turn and go in the right direction from now on.

We get into trouble through making a series of wrong decisions, and with God’s help, we will get our lives straightened out by a series of right decisions. It took more than a day to get into trouble, and it will take more than a day to get out.

Anyone who is ready and willing to make a real investment of time and right choices can see his or her life turn around for the better. God’s mercy is new every day. He is waiting to give you mercy, grace, favor, and help; all you have to do is be thankful for that mercy and say “yes” to whatever God is asking of you.

Prayer of Thanks: Thank You, Father, for the new starts You provide in my life. Help me realize when I do wrong, then help me repent and begin again. I am so grateful for Your mercies that are new every morning in my life.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

And Elisha said to him, Take bow and arrows. And he took bow and arrows. And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it, and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands. And he said, Open the window to the east. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria. For you shall smite the Syrians in Aphek till you have destroyed them. Then he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Strike on the ground. And he struck three times and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him and said, You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had destroyed it. But now you shall strike Syria down only three times. —2 Kings 13:15-19

It’s easy to say, “I believe,” but the true test comes when we have to act on what we believe. In this story, the king came to Elisha the prophet to seek his help in obtaining deliverance from the Syrians. The prophet told him to strike arrows on the ground as a symbol of Israel’s attacks against their enemy, but the king stopped after shooting only three arrows onto the ground.

Unbelief is disobedience. Period. Had the king believed, he would have struck arrows on the ground many times. Because of his unbelief, he stopped before he’d even gotten a good start. It is not surprising that Elisha became frustrated and angry with him.

Incidents of unbelief are recorded throughout the Old and New Testaments. Unbelief seems to be at work in nearly every direction we turn. Matthew 17:14-20 records the story of a man who brought his epileptic son to Jesus for healing. He said, And I brought him to Your disciples, and they were not able to cure him (v. 16).

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – The Disobedience of Unbelief →

Then Jesus, knowing that they meant to come and seize Him that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the hillside by Himself alone. —John 6:15

If the devil can’t convince you to be idle and passive, he will drive you to do too much. As soon as you are out of balance, he can devour you (see 1 Peter 5:8). The word disciple comes from the word discipline. To be a disciple of Jesus, you must discipline yourself to follow His ways.

Jesus spent a great deal of time going about doing good for people, but He balanced His time by getting alone to pray and commune with the Father. Time with God renews your strength to do good things that you want to do for others. Live a balanced life by spending time with Him.

From the book Closer to God Each Day by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].—Ephesians 3:20

God uses common, ordinary, everyday people who have uncommon goals and visions. That is what I am—just a common, ordinary person with a goal and a vision. But just because I am common and ordinary does not mean that I am content to be average. I don’t like that word. I don’t want to be average. I don’t intend to be average. I don’t serve an average God, therefore, I don’t believe I have to be average—and neither do you.

Average is basically okay. It is not bad, but it is also not excellent. It is just good enough to get by, and I don’t think that is what God wants us to be. I believe that any common, ordinary, everyday person can be mightily used by God. I believe that we can do great and mighty things—things that will amaze even us—if we believe that God can use us and if we will be daring enough to have an uncommon goal and vision. And what I mean by uncommon is something that doesn’t make sense to the mind. We have to believe God for it.

In Ephesians 3:20 we are told that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all that we could dare to hope, ask, or think, according to His great power that is at work in us. God does it through us according to His power, but it is done through us, so we have to cooperate. That means we need to be daring in our faith and in our prayers. Some of us are not believing for enough. We need to stretch our faith into new realms. We need to be uncommon people with uncommon goals.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. —Matthew 12:34

The Bible says that out of the heart the mouth speaks. We can learn a lot about ourselves by listening to ourselves. Do your thoughts and words reflect your complete dependence on God, realizing that His abilities (not your own) empower you to do anything you need to do in life?

I had to examine my own thoughts and words and ask myself if I portrayed a person who had faith in God, and I encourage you to do the same. I didn’t like all of my answers, but the exercise in self-examination did open my eyes to understanding that I needed to make some changes. Realizing we are wrong in an area is never a problem. The problem comes when we refuse to face truth and continue making excuses.

Be willing to face anything God wants to show you and ask Him to change you. If you are trusting in your own strength, begin to trust God instead. If you are trying to do things out of your own human abilities and growing frustrated, tell God you want Him to work through you and let His sufficiency be your sufficiency (see Philippians 4:13).

When challenges arise, I encourage you to develop a habit of immediately saying, “I can do whatever I need to do through Christ Who is my strength.” Remember that words are containers for power, and when you say the right thing, it will help you do the right thing. Don’t fill your containers (words) with things that disable you, for truly you are able to do all things through Christ. God will ask you to do things you’d never be able to do in your own strength, but He will give you His strength to do them.

As you meditate over and over on the thought, I can do whatever I need to do in life through Christ, you will find that you are not as easily overwhelmed by situations that arise. Each time you roll that thought over in your mind or speak it, you are developing a healthy mindset that enables you to be victorious.

Trust in Him: How often do you say, “This is too hard for me” or “I just can’t do this”? What will you now begin to say to reflect your trust in God’s ability to help you do whatever you need to do?

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. —1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV

There is nothing wrong with pondering some things in our hearts, as Mary did when the angel of the Lord told her she would give birth to the promised Messiah (see Luke 2:19). Many times it is while we are pondering or meditating on something that God gives us revelation or understanding. It is one thing to ponder, but another thing to worry.

When we are pondering, in a sense we are praying, “Lord, I don’t know what this means. I don’t really understand it. I need some direction.” However, when we are worrying, we are trying to figure things out on our own, and we often end up confused about what to do. As soon as you become confused, you have stopped pondering and started worrying and reasoning. Seek after peace, not confusion, because God is not the author of confusion.

Power Thought: It is God’s will for me to have peace and not confusion.

From the book the book Power Thoughts Devotional by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.—Matthew 6:34

Someone once said that “Worry is interest paid on trouble before it falls due.” Trying to solve tomorrow’s problems today only steals the energy God has prearranged for you to enjoy today. Don’t waste your time worrying! It is vain and useless. Don’t be like the bassoon player who went up to his conductor and nervously said that he could not reach the high E-flat. His conductor just smiled and replied, “Don’t worry. There is no E-flat in your music tonight.” Many of our worries are like that—unfounded and unnecessary.

Worry is the end of faith, and faith is the end of worry. You can only be a confident woman once you remove fear and worry from your life, and it starts with prayer. Prayer opens the door for God to get involved and meet our needs. The apostle Paul said we are to be anxious for nothing, but in all things, by praying, we will experience the peace of God (see Philippians 4:6-7). He didn’t say in “some” things; he didn’t say in “one” thing, but he said in “everything.” Prayer must replace our worry.

Lord, I open the door and invite You into all the affairs of my life. I have needs that only You can meet, and I know it’s useless to worry about them. Today I commit my needs to You and will rest my faith in You. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Behold, God is my helper and ally; the Lord is my upholder and is with them who uphold my life.—Psalm 54:4

There are many people who have received Jesus as their Savior and Lord who will live their Christian lives and go to heaven without ever drawing on the power of the Holy Spirit available to them, never experiencing the true success God intends for them. People can be on their way to heaven, yet not enjoying the trip.

We often look at people who have wealth, position, power, fame, and consider them to be totally successful. But many people who are viewed as successful still lack good relationships, peace, joy, contentment, and other true blessings that are available only in the context of a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Self-sufficient people often think it is a sign of weakness to depend on God. But by drawing on the ability of the Holy Spirit, they could accomplish more in their lives than they could by working in their own strength.

There are countless things we struggle with when we could be receiving help from the Holy Spirit. Many people never find the right answers to their problems because they seek out the wrong sources for advice and counsel instead of asking the Divine Counselor who lives within them for guidance.

I encourage you to lean on God for everything, and that means little things as well as big things.

Love God Today: The only way to experience the success God intends for you is to become totally dependent on the Holy Spirit.

From the book Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

… Because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).—Ephesians 3:12

We should never feel insecure when we approach God in prayer. He knows all of our weaknesses and loves us anyway. God wants to give us more than enough, not barely enough, and we need to ask boldly.

Approaching God boldly in prayer can be likened to going to a bank to make a withdrawal. If I know I have fifty dollars in the bank because I deposited it there last week, I will not hesitate to pull up to the drive-through window and cash a fifty-dollar check. I know I have the money; it’s mine, and I can get it out of the bank if I want to. When I present my check, I fully expect to get my fifty dollars.

We need to approach God with that same kind of boldness, not because of our own righteousness, but because of the privilege of being joint heirs with Jesus. We need to understand what is available to us because of Jesus and we need to pray confidently, with full expectation that we will receive what belongs to us. God has made incredible provision available to us in Christ and we simply need to ask in Jesus’ name for the blessings He has already purchased for us.

When we struggle with feelings of unworthiness, we should go to God’s Word and let it remind us of our privileges as children of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to help us enter boldly into God’s presence and receive the help we need because, the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17 NKJV). He will speak to us and remind us that we belong to God!

God’s word for you today: You are God’s child and He is looking and longing to be good to you.

From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Unto You, O Lord, do I bring my life.— Psalm 25:1

This is a very short but powerful verse. In fact it gives you the answer for your whole life: give it to the Lord.

This doesn’t mean you should bring Him just your worries and problems. It means bringing Him your entire existence and everything it entails. Grasping that truth will set you free from weariness and a feeling of wanting to give up.

I used to get worn out preparing for my meetings. I would get so intense about it and work so hard at making sure everything was right that I worked myself into exhaustion. Then I learned that all I have to do is give Him my life and everything in it. As we yield to Him, His peace fills us.

As you pray tonight, give your entire life to God and experience the freedom of knowing that whatever you face—good or bad—He has it under control.

From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.—Colossians 3:23

Life wasn’t meant to be dull and boring. We are not created by God to merely do the same thing over and over until it has no meaning at all. God is creative. If you don’t think so, just look around you. Many of the animals, bugs, plants, birds, trees, and other living things are unique, out of the ordinary, and totally amazing.

You were created to be unique, out of the ordinary and totally amazing too. That is why I think it is good to occasionally do something that seems outrageous to people and perhaps even to you. Do something that people won’t expect. It will keep your life interesting and keep other people from thinking they have you tucked away nicely in a little box of their own design.

One great woman who was seventy-six years of age said that her goal was to do at least one outrageous thing per week. Isn’t that a great idea? If you purposefully do something out of the norm on a regular basis, this will keep you from getting stuck in a rut, bored and unenthused about your life.

What outrageous thing will you do today?

Refuse to be bored and just limp along through life. Be creative and add fun to whatever you do.

From the book Closer to God Each Day by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].—1 Colossians 3:13

The world is filled with pain and hurting people; and my experience has been that hurting people hurt others. The devil works overtime among God’s people to bring offense, strife, and disharmony, but we can be thankful that God gives us a tool to disappoint and defeat the devil: We can be quick to forgive.

Forgiveness closes the door to Satan’s attack so that he cannot gain a foothold that might eventually become a stronghold. It can prevent or end strife in our relationships with others. No wonder Scripture tells us over and over that we are to forgive those who hurt or offend us. Jesus made forgiveness a lifestyle, and He taught us to do the same. This is essential to living a joy-filled life.

Prayer of Thanks Father, I am so thankful for the forgiveness You have given me through Jesus and for the grace to be able to forgive others. Regardless of what others have done to hurt or offend me, today I choose to forgive those who have caused me pain. Thank You for helping me to live out that forgiveness each new day.

From the book The Power of Being Thankful by Joyce Meyer.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God.—Psalm 42:5

O God, why do You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger burn and smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?- Psalm 74:1

As I think about the storms we all face in life, I can understand why people sometimes ask, “Why the storms? Why do we have so many problems and struggles in life? Why do God’s people have to deal with so much suffering?”

As I considered these questions, I began to see that Satan plants these questions in our minds. It is his attempt to keep us focused on our problems instead of focusing on the goodness of God. If we persist in asking these questions, we’re implying that God may be to blame. I don’t think it’s wrong to ask God why things happen. The writers of the psalms certainly didn’t hesitate to ask.

I think of the story of Jesus when He visited the home of Mary and Martha after their brother, Lazarus, died. Jesus waited until Lazarus had been dead for four days before He visited. When He arrived, Martha said to Jesus, Master, if You had been here, my brother would not have died (John 11:21). She went on to say, And even now I know that whatever You ask from God, He will grant it to You (v. 22).

Did she really believe those words? I wonder, because Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again. Martha replied, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day (vs. 23-24). She didn’t get what Jesus was saying.

Continue reading Joyce Meyer – Why the Storms? →